Apple confirms Qwen AI integration for Chinese users

Apple has officially confirmed on Saturday that its Apple Intelligence system can now work with Alibaba Group's Qwen large language model, according to an updated support document published on the company's official website.

The confirmation appeared in the Mac Simplified Chinese user manual, which explicitly states that Apple Intelligence can operate in conjunction with Alibaba's Qwen model. According to Apple's description, the Qwen extension is available on macOS 26.6 or later versions, and requires users to be located in the Chinese mainland with their Apple ID country or region set accordingly.

The partnership marks a significant milestone in Apple's AI strategy for the Chinese market. By integrating a locally developed AI model, Apple can navigate regulatory requirements while still delivering enhanced AI capabilities to its Chinese user base.

The Qwen extension supports two primary features: Writing Tools and Siri integration. Through Writing Tools, users can generate or rewrite text in applications such as Notes and Mail based on simple descriptions. With Siri, the extension enables the assistant to tap into Qwen's capabilities to provide more comprehensive answers — for example, users can ask, "Hey Siri, ask Qwen to write a poem about dragons" or "Hey Siri, ask Qwen to summarize this document". Siri will ask for user confirmation before utilizing Qwen to fulfill such requests.